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| MPs demand action on road deaths | MPs demand action on road deaths |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Lower speed limits and a tougher enforcement of drink-driving laws are needed to cut the number of road deaths, MPs have said. | |
| The Commons transport committee also criticised the government's system for recording deaths and serious injuries, adding it seemed to be "flawed". | The Commons transport committee also criticised the government's system for recording deaths and serious injuries, adding it seemed to be "flawed". |
| Chairman Louise Ellman said road fatalities were "the major public health problem of our age". | Chairman Louise Ellman said road fatalities were "the major public health problem of our age". |
| The government said it recognised "more can be done" to improve safety. | The government said it recognised "more can be done" to improve safety. |
| 'Particularly concerned' | 'Particularly concerned' |
| The committee said that, although last year saw a 7% fall in road user deaths, overall progress since 2000 had been "disappointing". | The committee said that, although last year saw a 7% fall in road user deaths, overall progress since 2000 had been "disappointing". |
| Motorcyclist deaths had risen by 26% between the mid-1990s and 2007. | Motorcyclist deaths had risen by 26% between the mid-1990s and 2007. |
| The committee said it was "particularly concerned" about high accident rates among male drivers, younger drivers and those using country roads. | The committee said it was "particularly concerned" about high accident rates among male drivers, younger drivers and those using country roads. |
| The deaths of 3,000 people and injuries to a quarter of a million are a staggering annual toll to pay for mobility Louise Ellman, MP | The deaths of 3,000 people and injuries to a quarter of a million are a staggering annual toll to pay for mobility Louise Ellman, MP |
| It heard evidence that child pedestrians from the poorest social groups were 21 times more likely to be killed in a traffic accident than those from the richest. | It heard evidence that child pedestrians from the poorest social groups were 21 times more likely to be killed in a traffic accident than those from the richest. |
| Less well-off car users were also at greater risk of death than the more affluent. | Less well-off car users were also at greater risk of death than the more affluent. |
| Ms Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: "The number of deaths and injuries on our roads far outweighs the deaths and injuries in other transport modes or in other work-related accidents. | Ms Ellman, Labour MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: "The number of deaths and injuries on our roads far outweighs the deaths and injuries in other transport modes or in other work-related accidents. |
| "We need to start seeing this not only as a collection of individual tragedies but also as the major public health problem of our age. | "We need to start seeing this not only as a collection of individual tragedies but also as the major public health problem of our age. |
| "The deaths of 3,000 people and injuries to a quarter of a million are a staggering annual toll to pay for mobility." | "The deaths of 3,000 people and injuries to a quarter of a million are a staggering annual toll to pay for mobility." |
| Targets | Targets |
| The committee queried the accuracy of the government's data on injuries and deaths and wondered whether it would meet its road safety targets. | The committee queried the accuracy of the government's data on injuries and deaths and wondered whether it would meet its road safety targets. |
| There had to be a better linking of accident statistics gathered by police and hospitals to get a clearer idea of what is happening, it added. | There had to be a better linking of accident statistics gathered by police and hospitals to get a clearer idea of what is happening, it added. |
| The government says the number of injuries on roads is falling far more quickly than the number of deaths. | The government says the number of injuries on roads is falling far more quickly than the number of deaths. |
| The MPs called for new road-death reduction targets, separate from those set for serious and slight injuries. | The MPs called for new road-death reduction targets, separate from those set for serious and slight injuries. |
| In its report, the committee recommended the drink-drive limit should be lowered, roadside breath test devices should be approved and there should be tougher penalties for alcohol-related offences. | In its report, the committee recommended the drink-drive limit should be lowered, roadside breath test devices should be approved and there should be tougher penalties for alcohol-related offences. |
| More 20mph speed limit zones should be in place, it added. | More 20mph speed limit zones should be in place, it added. |
| The committee said: "There is a significant body of evidence that the current methods for recording road traffic injuries are flawed." | The committee said: "There is a significant body of evidence that the current methods for recording road traffic injuries are flawed." |
| MPs also said there should be a road safety commission and that a road accident investigation branch should be set up. | MPs also said there should be a road safety commission and that a road accident investigation branch should be set up. |
| 'Should be ashamed' | 'Should be ashamed' |
| Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Mark Hunter said: "It is a travesty that drunk drivers still kill as many people now as they did a decade ago. | Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Mark Hunter said: "It is a travesty that drunk drivers still kill as many people now as they did a decade ago. |
| "The government should be ashamed that it has failed to make a dent in this problem." | "The government should be ashamed that it has failed to make a dent in this problem." |
| A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We've cut the number of people killed or seriously injured each year by more than a third since the mid-1990s. | A Department for Transport spokesman said: "We've cut the number of people killed or seriously injured each year by more than a third since the mid-1990s. |
| "That means almost 17,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries on our roads last year. | "That means almost 17,000 fewer deaths or serious injuries on our roads last year. |
| "But we have always been clear that one death is one too many and so recognise that more can be done to make our roads safer. | "But we have always been clear that one death is one too many and so recognise that more can be done to make our roads safer. |
| "We work continually to improve the way road casualty data is recorded and are now linking police and hospital data. | "We work continually to improve the way road casualty data is recorded and are now linking police and hospital data. |
| "However, criticism of our statistics is itself based on flawed comparisons with hospital admissions data, which are published with a warning about their reliability for monitoring trends over time." | "However, criticism of our statistics is itself based on flawed comparisons with hospital admissions data, which are published with a warning about their reliability for monitoring trends over time." |